Program Evaluation: Research Reports

The Texas Legislature often requests that TEA develop studies to inform state policies. The following studies examined high school graduation requirements initiated by House Bill (HB) 5 (83rd Texas Legislature), school district consolidations, dual credit programs, standard English learners, and end-of-course alternatives. The reports and executive summaries are available in PDF format from the links below.

Texas Four-Day School Week Campus Analysis, 2022–23 School Year

This report presents findings of an analysis of State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR®) performance in reading language arts and mathematics comparing students from Texas public school campuses with a four-day school week calendar to students from Texas public school campuses with a five-day school week in the 2022–23 school year.

The report is available from the link below:

Texas Four-Day School Week Campus Analysis, 2022–23 School Year (Texas Education Agency, February 2025)

School District Consolidation in Major Metropolitan Areas: Simulations Based on Cost Function Analysis

This study is required by TEC § 12.1013, added by Senate Bill (SB) 2 (83rd Texas Legislature, Regular Session). The purpose of the study is to provide “an analysis of whether the performance of matched traditional campuses would likely improve if there were consolidation of school districts within the county in which campuses are located.” The analysis only applies to counties that have at least seven school districts and at least ten open-enrollment charter schools. 

The reports and executive summaries are available from the links below: 

Would School District Consolidation Lead to Cost Savings in Major Metropolitan Counties? (University of Texas at Dallas Education Research Center, August 2017)
Executive Summary (5 pages)

Anticipating the Consequences of School District Consolidation in Major Metropolitan Areas (University of Texas at Dallas Education Research Center, August 2014)
Executive Summary (4 pages)